Game Forty-Five: Cubs (27-17) vs. Astros (25-20)
Game Time - 6:05pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: ESPN, Comcast SportsNet - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 174, 183
Location - Minute Maid Park, Houston
Ted Lilly (4-4, 5.33/1.28) vs. Brian Moehler (1-0, 4.58/1.58)
The Cubs open a big 3-game series in Houston tonight against the surprising Astros. Many picked the Astros to finish near the bottom of the NL Central but they open play tonight in 3rd place only 2 1/2 games behind the Cubs. While the Astros' have questions surrounding their starting rotation, nothing is wrong with their high-powered offense....especially Lance Berkman. Other than Alfonso Soriano, Berkman is the hottest hitter in the game and the additions of Miguel Tejada and Kaz Matsui have given Cecil Cooper a very potent offense.
Unlike the past few years, the Cubs are a much better team at Wrigley than on the road. Lou Piniella's crew is 19-8 at home and just 8-9 on the road and with the lopsided schedule they were handed, the Cubs must improve their record away from Wrigley to stay at the top of the division.
The Cubs are 16-11 against the rest of the Central Division (8-1 against the Pirates) and in order to win the division, as the saying goes....you must beat the teams within your own division. After finishing with a 2-4 record the last time they hit the road (St. Louis and Cincinnati), the Cubs need to reverse their fortune against two more division rivals.
Ted Lilly has turned his season around after a horrible start. After beginning the season 1-4 in his first 6 starts with a 6.46 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP, Lilly is 3-0 in his last 3 starts with a 3.60 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP. In his last 13 innings, Lilly has struck out 21 batters and walked only 3. In order for Lilly to beat the Astros tonight, he must not give them any help. The Astros can score at will and it is up to Lilly to keep throwing strikes and let his defense make the plays.
Lilly is 1-1 in 3 career starts against the Astros with a 3.60 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP....last year, 1-0 in 2 starts with a 2.57 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP. Tonight will be Lilly's second career start at Minute Maid Park. Lilly lost his first start in Houston back on June 10, 2005 and gave up 4 runs on 7 hits in 6 innings. He allowed 3 home runs (Wily Taveras, Jason Lane and Morgan Ensberg) in a 4-2 Blue Jays loss to the Astros.
- Lance Berkman - 1-for-8
- Darin Erstad - 2-for-21 with a double
- Carlos Lee - 3-for-19 with 2 doubles
- Mark Loretta - 5-for-17 with 2 doubles and 2 home runs
- Hunter Pence - 0-for-4
- Miguel Tejada - 3-for-24 with a double and 4 walks
- Ty Wigginton - 1-for-4
Brian Moehler stepped into the Astros' rotation when Wandy Rodriguez went to the DL. Moehler has responded quite well and will make his third start of the year tonight....his first at home. Moehler is 1-0 as a starter with a 2.70 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP with 7 strikeouts and only 1 walk.
Moehler put together a very good 5-inning start against the Dodgers in L.A. back on May 9th. He did not allow a run, gave up 5 hits and struck out a season-high 5 batters. Moehler received a no decision in San Francisco his last time out in a 6-3 Astros' win....3 runs on 8 hits in 5 innings.
Tonight will be Moehler's fourth career start against the Cubs. In 6 previous games, he is 1-0 with a 3.91 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. In his first 2 starts this year, Moehler has pitched just 5 innings, the Cubs must continue being patient at the plate and make him work.
- Ronny Cedeno - 1-for-4
- Mark DeRosa - 0-for-2
- Jim Edmonds - 11-for-32 with 4 doubles, 5 home runs and 4 walks
- Derrek Lee - 1-for-2 with a home run
- Aramis Ramirez - 3-for-11 with a double and a triple
- Alfonso Soriano - 4-for-7 with a double
The Cubs took 2 of 3 from the Astros in their first meeting of the year at Wrigley back in April (April 4 - April 6) and Cecil Cooper's club will be looking to return the favor.
Let's Talk Cubs Baseball....
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Tonight's lineup:
Soriano - LF
Theriot - SS
Lee - 1B
Ramirez - 3B
Fukudome - RF
Soto - C
Edmonds - CF
DeRosa - 2B
Lilly - P
Also, Rich Hill was placed on the minor league DL today with back spasms.
I have a feeling tonight will be the night when Jimmy Edmonds becomes a Cub aka he hits a home run or something like that...i just got a feeling
I hope your right Ryan. I just hope he doesn't get eaten alive out in that HUGE centerfield.
DLee looks really confused up there.
great preview neil. I'm pumped for this series
and hope our cubs understand its importance too.
I predicted that the stros would finish 2nd in
the division and could easily end up with the
wild card. This team cant be taken lightly.
Lily shoul step it up a notch tonight. Let's go
cubs!
I get Soriano swinging at the 1st pitch but Soto needs to knock that crap out. This dude on the mound is VERY hittable!
Cory....I was thinking very close to the same thing. A pitch or two there would have been great. They must make Moehler work...but it is easy for me to say not standing in that horrible glare from the sun.
Nice hit by Lilly. Man, is it just me or is this umps strike zone EXTREMELY tight? That first pitch to Lilly was definitely a strike. Oh well, as long as he's consistent.
C'mon Sori, bring Lilly home...
I love it when Sori lays off that high heater!
The league is hitting .316 against this guy... Why are we being no-hit.... @$#@
Baron...the sun.
Lee might not be hitting right now....but his defense is still great!
Ramirez fought hard...and won the 11 pitch battle
It would be great if he heated up just about now
That was a great 11-pitch at bat by Ramirez
How did Fukudome lay off that pitch?
HAHAHA Soto THAT IS GREAT!!!
INSIDE THE PARK HOME RUN FOR GEOVANY SOTO!!!!!
Soto!!
How the heck did Soto leg out an inside the park home run?? Were the outfielders really lost? I dont think Soto runs too well
But great!
that was awesome....and hilarious at the same time to see the big man chug around the bases...LOL
Hey Fellas,
Geovany!!!!!!! Gotta love it.
That was a good AB by Edmonds...nice to see him go with a pitch the other way
Nice sac Lilly, he is doing it all tonight.
1) Go Geo, nuff said.
2) Its been two games in a Cub uniform and Edmonds is already being looked at by Cubs med staff.
3) However, he did have a nice AB, even better AB's by Rammy and the Fukmeister.
See what happens when he takes a pitch HaHa! You were right about the sun though Neil.
Can someone tell me what the heck Cooper was arguing? I mean what did he say? "Hey that was not an inside the park homer...that was over the wall!" What a tool.
Tell me Edmond's isn't already hurt.
Bourn tried to make a leaping catch, bounced off the wall into center....Pence and Lee did not back-up the play.
Soto scored standing
I would be suprised if Sori sees anything to hit right here
If Sori wants to get pull happy anytime soon this is the park to do it. -_-;; NVM they're intentionally walking Sori to get to Mr. Little League.
Im sorry but a pitcher is struggling and theriot swings at the first pitch and grounds out weakly. Really? RC!?!?
Theriot?!?!?!?!?! Whay did he swing at the first pitch?
Theriot WTF?!!? The guys on the ropes!!! First pitch??!! Come on!
Theriot should not have been swinging at the first pitch. The pitcher was having problems that inning, Theriot needed to see a few pitches there.
Theriot was trying to hit a grand slam to the 2nd baseman with his preschooler level power.
The fact that Lilly is trying to pitch Berkman inside w/ that short porch in left scares the shit outta me.
That was some great pitching and a HORRIBLE job by Soriano!
Hubert, watch your language, and stop the crap again with comments like "preschooler level power". Will you please leave this site already????
NICE CATCH EDMONDS!!
That play looked like the Edmonds of old! Great play!!!
Holy Crap -- Jim Edmonds!!
WOW Edmonds...maybe thats the big thing i was feeling that was GREAT CATCH!
Edmonds!!!!! I eat my words about him defensively!!!!
Holy crap Edmonds!! It feels better when he makes that circus catch FOR us rather than against us in the past! What a big play in this game.
Welcome to Chicago Jim Edmonds!!!!
woooooooooooowwwwww! Edmonds!!!
Cory/Cary w/e: Wait a second. You're telling me it is okay for you to criticize Soriano one minute, and then I can't criticize Theriot when he shows no patience. What is even more astounding, is that it is TRUE that Theriot has no power and you're talking to me as if he does. Go take your hypocrisy to someone who cares.
I don't know why your talking to me Hubert but I am not interested in you or anything you have to say at all so please just watch the game and chill out dude.
Man this is a tight game. C'mon Theodore, dig deep here.
No, they're telling you no one wants to hear it. Soriano deserved his criticism: he was batting under .200. From what I can tell, the only Theriot has against him is that he's the the closest thing to a basestealer the Cubs have and he's average at best. He's hitting upper .200/.300 for the season and has been patient at times. He didn't take a power swing or anything, he just made a poor decision.
There's constructive criticism and then there's personal propaganda, of which you fall into the latter.
Hubert, I think it's pretty obvious he's criticizing your choice of words here. It's not that say Theriot has not power its just the way you say it.
Nice job Lily to get out of that jam. I'd really like to see 4 or 5 more runs on the board. :)
Way to get out of it Lilly!!!!!
Way to go Geo!! Held on to that fould tip.
I can't wait till Carlos Lee retires!
Murton just hit his 1st homer and is now batting .372! Pie is still hitless. Hart has pitched 4 innings and given up 2 runs.
Nice double play!
The offense needs to wake up
I forgot to mention Jason Dubois is back. He's playing 1st since Hoffpauir was recalled.
Nice rip Theriot!
Way to go DLee!!!
Great Hustle by the Riot... Thats his biggest value...
Hes a mini-Jeter in the making...
Way to go DLEE!!!! Man I can't believe he was 2 for his last 28!? Maybe this will be the beginning to another tear from the big guy.
I just missed what happened, can someone give me an update?
Cory...thank you. I try to watch all of the signings in the minors but I missed Jason DuBois....wow, I cannot believe he is back.
Soriano k'd, Theriot double, DLee rbi single, ARam F-9
Nick, Theriot doubled to left with 1-out. Lee singled just to the left of straight away center to drive in Theriot on a 2-1 pitch.
I know Neil I hadn't heard anything about it till listening to the game tonight.
Thanks Neil and Cory.
Cory: I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to Cary. It was just in case the subsequent comment to mine was a typo.
Fox: It doesn't matter what the choice of words is. The point was he has no power. I don't care what Cary thinks about that statement; it wasn't offensive. I can understand the "retarded" statement, but this one was an obvious fact about Theriot.
Boseph: Actually Sori didn't deserve it. For most of his career it is known he is a streaky hitter and heats up with the weather. Then you have unknowledgeable people calling for the trade of a guy who is one of our main sluggers and has a no-trade clause.
Theriot is doing well, but his mistakes, when he does make them are at the most devastating times. Lack of patience w/ RISP, and getting caught stealing A LOT when D-Lee is at the plate. If he can sustain it for the year, then yes, he is a good no. 2 hitter, if he falls again post-AS Break like last year, then no way.
Congrats to Jon Lester...great story great feat for the young man
Yes, congratulations to Jon Lester!
fat elvis!!!
Heh... I get to watch both games...
Da Cubs on ESPN and the Sox on NESN -----
the Red Sox announcers were goin nuts
That hurt...questionable call on the 1-0 pitch, changed the at bat.
Big hit for Theriot! Bad baserunning by Cedeno....
Keep spouting Hubert.
Nice job Theriot!
Close the book on Kevin Hart. 5 ip, 5 hits, 3 runs, 2 earned, 2 bb, and 6k's. era at 2.87. He was at 82 pitches...I know i'm getting redundant about this but it's weird how they only let Marshall and Hart go 5. Pie still hitless.
Clutch Theriot!!! RC baby....dude!
lester's no-no got me thinking...
Lets say that Big Z throws a no-hitter later this year... the game is on espn and wgn.
Who do you listen call the last out?
A.) Joe Morgan on Espn (rhetorical)
B.) Len & Bob
C.) mute the TV and turn on Pat & Ron
Santo's excitement is priceless... C for me.
my answer would be C too.
C....no doubt.
Why even bring in Wuertz? You got Marmol warming up? I just don't understand. I mean yeah it would've been great if Wuertz would've worked out but why try that strategy now? At Houston?
The ump missed that call.
COME ON MATSUI WAS OUT!!!!
Matsui was out!
Nice Job Marmol!
Pat and Ron calling the game is priceless for normal games, let alone a no-hitter. C without a doubt.
Way to go MARMOL you nasty dude! Carlos Lee better stop crowding the plate ;)
Phillips is such a jag...he doesn't know crap...yeah let's walk Berkman to get to Lee as the go ahead run....tool!
Nice job Lee, good way to start the inning.
I think DLee is waking up....
Ramirez!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ARam just changed the complexion of this game in a hurry.
Aramis!!!!!!! Don't hang that junk to ARAM!!!!
ARAMIS!!!
Man, I help my son with his math homework for an hour and look what happens! Sheesh!
Aram coming back strong, and D-Lee lighting up again. Marmol doin' the nasty again.
Boys, this is an impressive win tonight!!!
NATION REPRESENT!
CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!
Big win! Impressive the way we shut down Berkman and Pence. Let's get em tomorrow!
Simply a Great Win!!!
Nice win, great effort by the pen (minus Weurtz). It is nice to see how many differenct players are contributing at the plate. This team is demonstrating an offensive consistancy that we have not seen in ages.
Couple things:
Cory, I thought the same thing about Phillips. Why in the hell would you bring the go-ahead run to the plate when that go-ahead run is Carlos Lee. I think Pinella told him to keep the ball down.
On another note, I thought it was pretty big league for Pinella to go out there and talk to Marmol before he had to face the big 3. It is nice to have a coach who acts as if he is a player. (gone are the toothpick chewing, sitting on my ass dude days of Baker.)
I can remember Edmonds making countless incredible catches against us, it is awesome to have him do it for the home team. :) That catch was so important, if that inning continued the outcome of this game may have been different.
A really exciting Cubs win. Soriano or Aram probably have to hit the ground on an inside pitch tomorrow. It's a team game, and some picked up others to get the job done tonight.
If anyone can tell us what the trash talk on the site added to the game/evening tonight, please let us know. And Scott McMeekan did an impressive job out of the coaches box with his son!! Some day son will say, "You were there for me dad" and the score of the game(s) will have been long forgotten.
solid game!
I love this team.
things are looking pretty, pretty.. good
With Rich Hill now on the DL and Marshall really pitching well it really shows how baseball can be so unpredictable. I feel for Hill and hope he gets back to where we all thought he'd be this year.
I got nothing...I just wanted to be the 100th post... good night all!